Diesel exhaust implicated in asthma and cancer

Researchers at Deakin University have found that diesel exhaust is far more damaging to our health than exhaust from biodiesel, the plant-based fuel.

Associate Professor Leigh Ackland, associate head of Deakin's School of Life and Environmental Sciences, led a team of researchers who compared the effects of diesel exhaust and biodiesel exhaust on human airway cells. They found that diesel exhaust damaged and killed the cells, while biodiesel exhaust had little effect.

"Australia's escalating need for fuel is posing a major health problem," Ackland said.

"The fumes from burning fuels, including diesel, contribute to pollution and can cause heart disease, bronchitis and asthma. Efforts are underway to replace petrol and diesel with cleaner biofuels, such as biodiesel, but there is considerable resistance to this.

"This study provides clear evidence that diesel exhaust is more harmful to our health than biodiesel exhaust."

The researchers exposed cultures of human airway cells to the particulate matter emitted in diesel and biodiesel exhaust fumes.

"Our research found that the particulate matter from diesel exhaust stimulated a "death pathway' response that the body uses to dispose of damaged cells. This response caused the airway cells to fuse together and die," said Ackland.

"We saw hardly any cell death after treatment with biodiesel particulates."

Ackland said the results support calls to move towards replacing petrol and diesel with cleaner biofuels.

"It is clear that breathing in diesel fumes is going to have a far more detrimental effect on our health than biodiesel. Given the level of cell death we have found, diesel exhaust could be the cause of respiratory disorders such as asthma and could even be implicated in cancer," she said.

The study was published in the journal Immunology and Cell Biology.